Madagascar, French: Information

The Colony of Madagascar and Dependencies (French: Colonie de Madagascar et dépendances) was a French colony off the coast of Southeast Africa between 1897 and 1958. The country had been a protectorate since 1882.

The end of the 1950s was marked by growing debate over the future of Madagascar's relationship with France. Two major political parties emerged. To the consternation of French policy makers, the AKFM platform called for nationalization of foreign-owned industries, collectivization of land, the "Malagachization" of society away from French values and customs (most notably use of the French language), international nonalignment, and exit from the Franc Zone.